THE PHYSIOLOGY OF HOST–PARASITE RELATIONS: VII. THE EFFECT OF STEM RUST ON THE NITROGEN AND AMINO ACIDS IN WHEAT LEAVES

Abstract

The dry weight of leaf disks (2.8 mm in diameter) bearing pustules of stem rust and cut from primary leaves of Little Club wheat increased up to 2.5-fold, but the respective weights of host and parasite cannot be measured. By removal of the ectoparasitic mycelium of Erysiphe it was shown that approximately half of the increase in weight at infections of this organism on barley leaves was contributed by the fungus and half by the host.At infections of stem rust on Little Club there was a striking increase in total N per gram fresh weight and an increase in the ratio of soluble to insoluble N. Quantitative paper chromatographic analyses revealed a fourfold increase in free amino acids and nearly a twofold increase in protein amino acids per gram fresh weight by 9 days after inoculation. The most striking increases occurred in free glutamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, threonine, and those amino acids present only in trace amounts before inoculation, particularly the basic and aromatic acids. Only slight and transitory increases in N occurred at infections on Khapli and the infected leaves quickly reached a stage at which soluble and insoluble N and the ratios of soluble N to insoluble N and free to protein amino acids declined drastically. In Khapli, well-defined increases occurred in free glutamine and γ-aminobutyric acid. Particularly striking decreases occurred in glutamate, serine, threonine, glycine, and the leucines. The results are discussed.